Rail anchor



Dec. 14, 1937. H. G. WARR 2,101,884

RAIL ANCHOR Filed May 16 1936 Patented Dec. 14, 1937 PATENT OFFICE RAILANCHOR Harold G. Warr, Park Ridge, 111., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Poor & Company, a cor- Duration of DelawareApplication May 16, 1936, Serial No. 80,047

V V 5 Claims.

This invention relates to rail anchors for resisting longitudinalmovement of railroad rails and more particularly to one piece anchordevices comprising a hook shaped portion for gripping the top and bottomsurfaces of a rail base at one side of the rail, an under rail bodyportion which extends across beneath the rail base and abuts against avertical face of a cross tie and means at the other end of the anchorfor engaging the other edge of the rail base.

It has been customary, heretofore, to make anchor devices of the abovecharacter from steel bars of uniform cross section so that when the hookshaped portion of the anchor is driven onto either of the base flangesof a rail one of the side faces of the under rail body portion of theanchor will have a flat bearing against a vertical face of a cross tie.The major portion of the grip of such anchors for resisting creepingmovement ofthe rail is obtained from the gripping action exerted by thehook-shaped portion on the top and bottom surfaces of the rail base whenthe under rail body portion of the anchor is pressed against thevertical face of the cross tie by the forces which tend to move the raillongitudinally. In order to provide rail gripping surfaces of sufficientwidth to take advantage of the above gripping action and at the sametime avoid any actual cantingof the hook portion of the anchor about anaxis transversely of the rail, such anchors have been made heretofore ofsteel, bars which approximate a one inch square in cross section.Another purpose of using bars of such cross section is that they providethe under rail body portion of the anchor with a tie bearing face ofsuitable area to minimize the tendency of such anchor body to cut intothe vertical face of the cross tie.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a rail anchorof the above general character which may be formed from a bar of smallercross section than has been used heretofore for. an anchor of similarsize and at the same time provide substantially the same rail grippingand tie bearing effects, as above mentioned, which have heretoforerequired the use of bars of larger cross-section.

According to the'p-resent invention, the anchor is made from arectangular bar which, asviewed in the drawing, has a depth or verticaldimension somewhat greater than its horizontal thickness and,preferably, both end portions of the bar are flattened to providebearing surfaces substantially wider than the under rail body portion ofthe anchor. One flattened end portion of the bar provides a jaw forengaging the top surface of the rail base and is so arranged relative tothe under rail body portion of the anchor that the bearing surfaces forengaging the top and bottom of the rail base will have the sameeffective Width, for resisting the forces tending to rock the hookportion of the anchor about a horizontal axis, as that of the anchorheretofore formed from bars of substantially greater cross sectionalarea.

' Another and. more specific object of the invention is to provide arail anchor having a locking shoulder at one end and having a flattenedportion at the other end to provide a gripping jaw of greater width thanthe intermediate portion of the anchor body, whereby the anchor can bemade of relatively light stock and at the same time provide a relativelywide rail gripping surface which cooperates with a portion of the anchorof narrower width to resist the forces tending to turn the anchor abouta horizontal axis and which cooperates with the locking shoulder andwith a stop surface at the jaw end of the anchor to resist the forcestending to move the anchor about a vertical axis to a diagonal positionon the rail, for example, when the adjacent cross tie is shifted in theballast of the roadbed so as to engage but one end only of the anchorbody.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanyme drawing, wherein Fig. 1is a side view of a rail anchor device constructed in accordance withthis invention.

Fig. 2 is aplan view of the rail and anchor device applied thereto, asshown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3..-3 of Fig. 1 so as toillustrate the effective width of the rail gripping surfaces forresisting the forces tending to turn the jaws about a horizontal axiswhen the body portion of the anchor is pressed against a vertical faceof a cross tie.

Referring to the drawing, l0 designates the base portion of a railroadrail, II a supporting cross tie, l2 a tie plate interposed between thetie and the rail base, and I3 designates a rail anchor made inaccordance with this invention and applied to the rail base. The anchordevice l3, insofar as its general contour is concerned, is of well knownform and in this respect may be briefly described as comprising adownwardly bowed body or under rail portion 14. A hooked end portion H3at one end of the body provides upper and lower jaws I6 and I! forengagement with one flange of the rail base Ill. The said jaws areformed so that they will be spread apart slightly when they are drivenonto the said base flange and -consequently exert a strong spring gripon the top and bottom surfaces of therail base at one side of the rail.The rail engaging surface l8 of the lower jaw bears against the bottomsurface of the rail base at a location nearer the edge of the rail thanthe rail engaging surface IQ of the'upper jaw. It will be seen,therefore, that by reason of the arrangement of the above surfaces l8l9at different distances from the edge of the rail, the anchor will turnabout an axis extending lengthwise of the rail when the jaws |6- -i Iare driven upon the wedge-like base flange of the rail and thereby forcethe bearing surface 20 at the other end of the anchor, against thebottom surface of the rail. A locking shoulder 2| engages the verticaledge portion of the rail adjacent the bearing surface 28 to hold theanchor in its applied position on the rail. i

The general constructions described above are recognized as being old inthe art. It is to be understood, therefore, that the present inventionresides in the herein disclosed improvements which make it practicabletoform an anchor of the above general'character from a metal bar ofrelatively light cross section and at the same time provide a widenedrail gripping surface at the jaw end of the anchor and preferably alsoat the locking shoulder end thereof which gives the improved anchor railgripping portions having substantially the same gripping coaction as isobtained when such anchor is made from bars of heavier cross section.

According to the present invention an anchor of the above or similarconfiguration is made from a steel bar, the horizontal thickness ofwhich is substantially less than the breadth or vertical dimension ofthe bar. Preferably one or both ends of the bar are flattened before thebar is bent to'the configuration shown in Fig. 1. The flattened portionat one end of the bar'provides the jaw l6 with a rail bearing surface H!which is substantially wider than the bottom bearing |8 of the lower jawBy inspection of Fig. 3 of the drawing it will be seen that the bearingsurface It of the lower jaw I1 is centralized with relation to the widthof the flattened portion or rail engaging surface iii of the upper jaw.The overhang of the flattened upper jaw portion with relation to theopposite vertical faces of the under rail body portion permits theanchor to be driven onto the rail base at either side of the railwithout interfering with the flat bearing of the under rail body portionagainst an adjacent cross tie. Either side of the under rail bodyportion of the anchor may bear against a vertical face of the cross tie,depending upon which side of the rail the anchor jaws engaged When theanchor is applied to a rail base and bears against a cross tie, in themanner indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the effective width of the upperand lower jaws for effecting the turning or shackle grip on the top andbottom surfaces, is the dimension indicated by the letter A. Thisdimension is preferably the same as is maintained in the anchors of thesame general contour which have been made heretofore from bars ofheavier cross section and provides for a strong grip on the rail basewithout any actual canting of the jaws and, therefore, without danger ofspreading apart or opening of the jaws.

Inasmuch as a principal grip of anchors of the above character forresisting lengthwise movement of the rail is obtained by the grip of thehook shaped jaw portion on the top and bottom surfaces of one basefiangeof the rail, when the anchor body is pressed against a cross tie, it isimportant that the effective width of the jaw portion be suiiicientlynarrow to prevent it from sliding lengthwise of the rail when the anchorbody is pressed against a cross tie and which, at the same time, willpermit a strong gripping action at the edges 23-24 of the jaws withoutinvolving any actual canting of the jaws about a horizontal axis. Theflattened end portion of the jaw 16 is preferably curved, as indicatedat 25. This curvature may be formed during the, shearing of the bar orduring the flattening of the end portions thereof. The bend I5 ispreferably so formed as to contact the lower corner 26 of the rail basewhen the anchor is driven to the full limits of its applying movement.The said bend,

therefore, provides a stop surface which prevents over-driving of theanchor during its application to the .rail and limits movement of thehook end of the anchor transversely of the rail when the anchor issubjected to forces tending to turn the anchor about a vertical axis toa diagonal position on the rail base. The said upturned lug 2| and thesurface 20 adjacent'thereto, preferably, correspond in width'to' theflattened portion of the jaw IGandtherefore is substantially wider thanthe'horizontal dimension of the downwardly bowed under rail portion ofthe anchor. By widening the lug portion 2| by flattening the end of thebar so as to maintain the narrower portion of the bar centralized withrelation to the lug 2|, the anchor body is given an effective width,insofar as the engagement with the opposite edges of the rail base isconcerned, equal to the dimensionindicated by the letter B. Theengagement of the'anchor with the rail at points indicated 21 and 28cooperate to provide the anchor with a width sufficient to resist thepressures ordinarily encountered in service tending to turn the anchorabout a vertical axis to an abnormal diagonal position across the rail.The engagement of the anchor at the points 29 and 30 provide acorresponding re sistance to forces tending to displace or shift theanchor about a vertical axis in the opposite direction. These forces areresisted also by an increased gripping action of the upper and lowerjaws on the rail base flange produced by the turning movement of thewidened upper jaw about a vertical axis passing through the point ofengagement of the said stop surface with the edgeof the rail base. Thebearing 20 of the anchor being of greater Width'than the width of thedownwardly lbowed portion of the bar is preferably so proportioned inlength as toavoid contact with the cross tie.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in connectionwith certain specific construction, it should be understood that theinvention is not restricted to the specific constructions shown anddescribed except insofar as specific limitations appear in the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A light weight rail anchor comprising a bar having flattened andwidened end portions which gradually increase in width and decrease invertical thickness toward the ends and having an intermediate bodyportion of substantially rectangular cross-section havinggreater depththan its horizontal width, adapted to extend across beneath a railwithits. wider faces arranged substantially perpendicular to the bottom ofthe rail base so that either wide face of the body may bear against avertical face of a cross-tie, the said body portion of the bar beingbent adjacent to one end into hook form to provide a wide upper jaw anda narrower lower jaw for grippingfthe top and bottom surfacesrespectively of one base flange of the rail; the widened: end of saidjaw being of a 'Width substantially corresponding to the depth of thesaid lower jaw which grips the botthe flattened and widened portion atthe other end of the body for engaging a vertical surface of the otherrail base flange to lock the anchor on the rail; the flattened portionsof the bar, which form the said upper jaw and the said vertical surfaceengaging means, being positioned so that each flattened portion projectslaterally beyond the tie engaging planes of the sides of the under-railbody portion of the anchor but only above the plane of the top of thecross-tie, whereby substantially the same effective rail gripping tiebearing effects are produced as where said anchor is formed of uniformsquare cross-section, corresponding to the depth of the jaw whichengages the bottom of said first mentioned rail flange, throughout theentire length of the anchor.

2. A light weight one-piece rail anchor comprising a bar havingflattened and widened end portion which gradually increases in width anddecreases in vertical thickness toward the end of the bar and having abody portion which is of greater depth than its horizontal width adaptedto extend across beneath the rail with its wider faces arrangedperpendicular to the bottom of the rail base so that either wide face ofthe body may bear against a vertical face of a cross-tie, the said bodyportion of the bar being bent adjacent to said widened end into hookform to provide a wide upper jaw and a narrower lower jaw for grippingthe top and bottom surfaces respectively of one base flange of the railat different distances relative to the edge of the flange and having astop surface for limiting movement of the hook transversely of the rail;and means for engaging a vertical surface of the other rail base flangeto lock the anchor on the rail; the flattened portion of the bar whichforms the said upper jaw being positioned so that it projects beyond thevertical tie engaging planes of the under-rail body portion of theanchor whereby the effective width of the anchor for resisting turningmovement thereof about a horizontal axis is defined by the verticalplane of one side of the lower jaw and the edge portion of the widenedupper jaw which projects beyond the plane of the other side of saidlower jaw and whereby a turning movement of said widened jaw about avertical axis passing through said stop surface increases thegrip of theupper and lower jaws on the top and bottom surfaces of the rail base toresist such turning movement.

3. A one piece rail anchor comprising a bar having a flattened andwidened end portion and having a body portion adapted to extend acrossbeneath a rail with opposite faces arranged perpendicular to the bottomof the rail base so that either of said faces may bear against avertical face of a cross-tie, the bar being bent adjacent to saidwidened end into hook form to provide a wide upper jaw and a narrowerlower jaw for gripping the top and bottom surfaces, respectively, of onerail base flange at different distances relative to the edge of theflange and having a stop surface for limiting movement of the hooktransversely of the rail; and means for engaging the vertical surface ofthe other base flange of the rail to lock the anchor on the rail; theflattened portion of the bar which forms the said upper jaw beingpositioned so that it projects beyond the tie engaging planes of theunder-rail body portion of the anchor whereby the effective width of theanchor for resisting turning movement thereof about a horizontal axis isdefined by the vertical plane of one side of the lower jaw and the edgeportion of the widened upper jaw which projects beyond the plane of theother side of said lower jaw and whereby a turning movement of saidwidened jaw about a vertical axis passing through said stop surfaceincreases the grip of the upper and lower jaws on the top and bottomsurfaces of the rail base to resist such turning movement.

4. A one-piece rail anchor comprising a bar having a flattened andwidened end portion and having a body portion adapted to extend acrossbeneath a rail with opposite faces arranged perpendicular to the bottomof the rail base so that either of said faces may bear against avertical face of a cross-tie, the bar being bent adjacent to saidwidened end into hook form to provide a wide upper jaw and a narrowerlower jaw for gripping the top and bottom surfaces, respectively, of onerail base flange at different distances relative to the edge of theflange and having a stop surface for limiting movement of the hooktransversely of the rail; the flattened portion of the bar which formsthe said upper jawtion of the anchor, whereby the effective width of theanchor for resisting turning movement thereof about a horizontal axis isdefined by the vertical plane of one side of the lower jaw and the edgeportion of the widened upper jaw which projects beyond the plane of theother side of the lower jaw; and means for engaging the vertical surfaceof the other base flange of the rail to lock the anchor on the rail andadapted to cooperate with the widened upper jaw and with the said stopsurface of the hook to increase the grip on the rail during a turningmovement of the anchor about a vertical axis passing through said stopsurface. v

5. A one-piece rail anchor comprising a bar having a flattened andwidened end portion and having a body portion adapted to extend acrossbeneath a rail with opposite faces arranged perpendicular to the bottomof the rail base so that either of said faces may bear against avertical face of a cross-tie, the bar being bent adjacent to saidwidened end into hook form to provide a wide upper jaw and a narrowedlower jaw for gripping the top and bottom surfaces respectively of onerail base flange at different distances relative to the edge of theflange and having a stop surface for limiting movement of the hooktransversely of the rail; the flattened portion of the bar which formsthe said upper jaw being positioned so that it projects beyond the tieengaging planes of the under-rail body portion of the anchor, wherebythe effective width of the anchor for resisting turning movement thereofabout a horizontal axis is defined by the vertical plane of one side ofthe lower jaw and the edge portion of the widened upper jaw whichprojects beyond the plane of the other side of the lower jaw; and meansfor engaging a vertical surface of the other base flange of the rail tolock the anchor on the rail comprising a portion of the bar whichdecreases in thickness toward the end of the bar and is provided with asurface for locking engagement with the said vertical surface of theother base flange of the rail and thereby cooperates with the widenedupper jaw and with said stop surface adjacent said jaw to increase thegrip of the anchor on the rail during a turning movement of the anchorabout a vertical axis passing through said stop surface.

HAROLD G. WARR.

